The Song of a Nightingale
by HieiXKagome1999
Summary: After throwing herself in front of Harry, two curses collide and change time itself. Twenty three year old Hermione Granger finds herself in a different world and a different time, centuries after her own. Starts in Season 2 of Ghost Whisperer
1. Chapter 1

**_The Song of a Nightingale_**

 ** _Summary:_** After throwing herself in front of Harry, two curses collide and changes time itself. Twenty three year old, Hermione Granger, finds herself lost in practically a different world, centuries after her own time. Starts in Season 2 of Ghost Whisperer

 ** _Disclaimer:_** I do not own Harry Potter, Ghost Whisperer, or anything mentioned in this fic. Nothing in this belongs to me. Enjoy please. Starts in Season 2 Episode 15. Warning, Hermione won't immediately be a big part of the plot for Mean Ghost. She'll just be a background character at first really.

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 ** _Chapter 1:_** ** _Grandview_**

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 **** ** _PROTEGO!_**

 **** ** _AVADA KADEVRA!_**

 ****Her eyes snapped open as she bolted upright. Her battle instincts kicked in and she reached for the wand she always kept somewhere close; in this case, it was under her pillow. Her fingers grasped her wand, reveling at the familiar feeling of the smooth wood. Her heartbeat sounded like a drum in her mind as her loud scream, full of desperation and despair, and a deeper, snake-like voice, full of fury and outrage, echoing with her own, rang in her ears. Bright flashes of green, red, and a million different other colors flowed through her mind, the echoes of curses being flung.

''It's alright…. You're alright. No one's here to hurt you,'' Hermione Granger sighed shakily, lowering her wand after her eyes scanned the room briefly but thoroughly, finding nothing in the room with the exception of a few card board boxes, holding her packed things inside.

Lifting a hand, the twenty three year old sighed, running a hand through her messy, thick brown hair. She grimaced in disgust, drawing her hand back when she felt a wetness in her hair from sweat. The rest of her was probably covered in it as well. With another sigh, this one a bit lighter, she slipped off the thin white mattress, gathering a quick outfit and stepping into the bathroom. She knew from experience that she wouldn't feel any better until after a nice, cold shower.

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''This looks peaceful,'' Hermione mumbled, raising her eyebrows as she drove into the town in her cute little punch bug car, painted a light silver color.

Grandview was a beautiful place, even she had to admit. It had an air of peace that was rarely seen by Hermione. However, there was one problem with it, a single teensy, tiny problem. Actually, it really wasn't a small problem at all; it was huge. The problem? Well, there wasn't just the living there. A good number of ghosts, the undead, were also present. They were milling about, mixing with the living crowds, each attached to a specific place or person in the crowd.

After parking her car, Hermione slipped out and popped the back open. A smile lit up her face as her eyes landed on the various boxes neatly stacked in the back of her car, each one taped closed carefully with a stamp of her initials, H. J. G, on the top. Remembering exactly which boxes held what items, she reached inside and picked up two of them, stacking them up in her arms. She paused as she turned studying her new shop. It was sort of small but it was nice. There was no sign above it, the wood bare and unnamed.

Hermione crossed the sidewalk and opened the door, balancing the two boxes in one arm. There was a light twinkling sound as the door slid open and she glanced up as she walked inside to see an old fashioned bronze colored bell hanging above the door, swaying lightly. She paused, taking in her new shop and thinking over all the things she could do with it.

There were five separate bookshelves, each pressed to one of the walls. However, on the far side, furthest from the door, there was a dark redwood desk that was placed a good distance away from the wall. On either side of it, two smaller bookshelves rested against the wall, followed by three larger ones, one placed against each wall. There was also a separate door behind the desk, the opening to another room, which she would be staying in until her house was ready.

Hermione looked around before nodding to herself, knowing she had a lot of work ahead of her. However, she relished it, being able to keep her mind off things she didn't want to think about for the moment.

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The next morning, Hermione woke up extremely early, as she always did. She quickly changed into one of her running outfits, a pair of black knee length shorts and a dark blue t-shirt with plain sneakers. Running in the mornings was one of the habits she had taken up in an attempt to relieve some of her stress and adrenaline. It was easy for Hermione because of the amount of time she spent running with Harry and Ron. As a plus, it kept her fit and healthy.

She ran around her new neighborhood for a few hours, working up a sweat, before returning to the shop. Crookshanks, her familiar, was seated on her small portable bed, watching her curiously as she moved through her closet, trying to decide on what to wear. The Grandview high school principal had called her the night before, asking if she would pay the school a visit the next day, explain her career to them.

Hermione was nervous for a few different reasons. One of them was that she had never gone to a normal Muggle high school before. When she was younger, before she had gotten her Hogwarts letter, Hermione had attended the public elementary school. She positively despised it. Every day, she was relentlessly teased about her slightly larger than normal teeth and her tendency of always having her head in some sort of book. Hermione had hated those days, hated the way the other children had made her feel like a freak or some anomaly.

It still hadn't stopped when she began to attend Hogwarts; in fact, it had become worse than before. However, she had tapped into parts of herself that she had never realized before. Harry and Ron were two of the people who had grown with her but Draco was also a major factor, surprisingly. At the thought of her friends, Hermione paused before pushing away those thoughts, not wanting to delve into them until later, when she could curl up in her bed and scream into her pillow.

''What do you think?''

She turned to look at Crookshanks, doing a small twirl so that he could see her whole outfit. She had gone for professional but still approachable. The entire outfit consisted of a pair of black jeans that hugged her legs, a sleeveless red shirt with a high collar and a modest v cut in the front, classic black velvet heels on her feet, and a light grey pin striped blazer. The blazer was a slightly bold touch, along with the deep red beaded bracelet, ruby red teardrop necklace, and matching ruby red earrings. Her hair had decided to be cooperative this time, falling down her back in gentle waves, framing her face.

Crookshanks glanced over her with critical yellow eyes before starting to purr quietly, his bushy tail waving back and forth lazily. Taking it as a sign of approval, Hermione smiled as she grabbed the black leather purse sitting on her bed and took a moment to stroke her cat's head before leaving her shop, intent on making a good impression.

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''I can't really tell you a lot about my job. There's not much that would interest you at this age,'' Hermione smiled at the full classroom of teenagers seated in front of her.

''I mean, I just moved here recently so I don't know much about it. However, is there anyone here that likes to read? It doesn't have to be something specific. Any genre would be fine, romance, adventure, any of that. Personally, I prefer to curl up in bed with a good book about the supernatural. But not everyone likes that sort of thing and that's okay.''

Hermione scanned the room for anyone interested in her speech, noting the reactions. What she didn't surprise nor impress her any. It was what she had expected. Almost every person in the room, excluding her, was preoccupied with other things, such as texting their friends, or just staring out the window, bored out of their minds. There was only one that was actually paying attention to her words. It was a young girl. She had been listening absently but immediately perked up when Hermione mentioned the supernatural.

''I actually have quite a large selection of the supernatural in my store. Check it out if you have the time,'' Hermione smiled at them all, casting a glance at the big clock hanging behind her.

As soon as she did, the bell rang and the reaction was instantaneous. Hermione let out a sigh of relief as the teenagers scattered from the room like cockroaches, her shoulders easing their stiff posture. She was immensely relieved that her parents had never sent her to a public high school like this one; she would have been considered an even bigger outcast than she had been when she was a child.

Holding onto her bag, Hermione left the classroom, heading outside. It was a short walk down the hallways to the courtyard, which she was grateful for. The hallways were packed with bodies of eager, loud teenagers. Luckily, her petite and thin frame allowed her to weave through the crowd easily. In no time at all, Hermione was outside, searching for a place to sit. She spotted a small spot between two trees, shaded and out of the bright sun, a perfect place to rest for a few moments, and hurried over.

Dropping her bag down to her feet, she stood there for a moment, raising her arms over her head and stretching out like a cat, relaxed and calm. Her honey brown eyes scanned the courtyard, musing over it all. This is what would have happened to her if she hadn't gotten her Hogwarts letter at eleven years old. She would have continued her life as a normal teenager, going through four years of high school. Those four years would have been spent blending into the background, being the bookworm, known for being in the library all hours of the day, even during lunch.

From there, she would have graduated high school with flying colors, much to her parents' happiness, and gone on to college to major in marine biology or something of the sort. When she was younger, she had a fascination for all animals, especially the ones that lived in all sorts of water, salt or fresh didn't matter which. Hermione still loved to sit at the zoo and watch the sea turtles and multicolored fish swim around for hours, lost in her thoughts. It was an odd habit of hers that she couldn't quite get rid of.

In her second year of college, she would have met some man and settled down with him in some small town. He would have to be working in the academic field because Hermione honestly could not see herself settling down with anyone aspiring to be a game designer or a sports fanatic. It just wasn't her cup of tea. Looking back to what her life could have been if she hadn't discovered that she had magic, Hermione was immensely grateful that she had gotten her Hogwarts letter when she did. If not for that, she wouldn't have met any of the great people she had or experienced any of the interesting things she had in those school corridors.

Lost in her thoughts, Hermione absently watched a pretty blonde girl and a few other girls dressed in cheerleading outfits stand there, gossiping about this and that.

''Um, excuse me, Miss? I'm Maddy Strom.''

Turning her head, Hermione blinked before smiling as she met the eyes of the dark haired girl who had been in the class she had been lecturing, the only person interested in her speech.

''Hello, Maddy, I'm Hermione Granger. What can I do for you? ,'' she asked, raising an eyebrow at the young girl, who fidgeted nervously.

''You said you had a couple of books on the supernatural right?'' She asked before continuing as Hermione nodded, waiting. ''Well… I was wondering if you had anything on magic.''

''What kind of magic? ,'' Hermione tilted her head, her eyebrows furrowing slightly. ''Like voodoo magic or witches and wizards?''

''The second one,'' Maddy answered, her eyes lighting up as she waited eagerly for the older woman's answer.

''I have a few of those,'' Hermione smiled, a sly twinkle in her eyes. ''I also have a few volumes on different types of mythology, like the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians, as well as a few books on numerology.''

''What's that? ,'' Maddy asked, curious at the mention of something she didn't know about.

''It's the significance of numbers, the power they hold and what they mean,'' Hermione explained, smiling as the young girl looked thoughtful, a look she had seen on her own face many times.

''I think I'll have to come and check out your store sometime.''

''You're welcome anytime,'' Hermione smiled wider, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a simple card, which held her store's name, number, and a few other things. ''Here's my card, if you happen to drop by or just have a few questions about some things. I'll do my best to answer any you have.''

''Thanks,'' Maddy took the card, smiling a shy smile as she turned, going to join her friends. ''Bye, Miss Granger.''

''Bye, Maddy,'' Hermione watched as the girl joined her group of friends, chattering excitedly with them.

Hearing the revving of a car engine, Hermione turned to see a dark red convertible, the hood folded down, drive up, stopping in front of the group of cheerleaders standing on the sidewalk. The pretty blonde and a dark haired girl climbed up to sit down on the top of it, smiling and laughing. As the car started driving off, they barely made it a small distance away before the dark haired girl was shoved off the car. Hermione watched, her eyes widening, as the girl hit the dark paved road, crying out as she rolled upon impact.

The blonde girl cried out in surprise as the car stopped abruptly with a sharp squeal of its breaks. Immediately, the dark haired girl was surrounded by other teenagers and a few teachers. Hermione tilted her head slightly, going over all of it in her mind, replaying the picture again. There had been a clear distance between the two cheerleaders so it hadn't been the blonde girl that had pushed her. It had been done by someone else.

As if summoned by her thoughts, a dark haired girl wearing a cheerleading uniform with dark eyes and a burn on the right side of her face appeared a few feet away from the injured girl, her eyes hard with hatred as she glared at the cheerleaders. A dark haired woman stared back at her from beside the injured girl, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Hermione's eyebrows raised as she looked at the other woman, who looked to be older than her. It seemed the woman had a touch of magic in her blood, to see the ghost as she did. The ghost girl stared for a few more moments before disappearing, causing the woman to look away, back to the injured girl. It seemed Hermione was not the only one in this town with magic in her blood.


	2. Chapter 2

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 ** _Chapter 2: An Odd Acquaintance_**

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''That don't impress me much,'' Hermione hummed quietly along to the song blaring through the small earbuds in her ears, connected to her phone, which rested snugly in the right pocket of her pants. It was a song she had listened to her with her mother and shown to Ginny, Fleur, Luna, and Tonks afterwards. They had enjoyed it together, laughing as they compared each of the descriptions mentioned in the song to one of the men in their lives.

That morning, Hermione had risen extra early, eager for the activity she had planned for the day. Briefly one of the students at the high school had mentioned the Rockland University, which reminded Hermione of the large and extensive library it was supposed to have. When she had been browsing through Grandview's website, she found the Rockland University mentioned there. It claimed to have a large and extensive library. Hermione promised herself that she would check it out when she had the chance. Since her house was still being furnished and her things were still being put into place, she had time to investigate.

Hermione felt curious and eager so she dressed up for the day. She wore a pair of tight black pants that flared around her legs a bit, a short sleeved light green shirt with darker green hearts printed all over it, black strappy heels that drew attention to her small feet, toenails painted an emerald green with gleaming silver tips, and a white scarf with black smudges and deep green fern patterns on it wrapped around her neck neatly.

Her things were stuffed into a matching green leather purse, which she carried in the crook of her arm. For jewelry, she wore a thin sterling silver locket bracelet around her right wrist and a simple silver heart locket necklace. Her thick brown hair was teased into a side braid, resting on her right shoulder, with her bangs falling out to frame her face. After dressing and feeding Crookshanks, she hurried out of the shop, heading to the university.

She had been roaming through the library for an hour since then. It really was as extensive as the website had claimed. It had only been an hour and she already had a nicely sized stack of books in her arms. Her interests had a wide range so she had picked out a few volumes on different mythology, including the legends of Merlin and King Arthur, and a thick leather bound book of plant life, detailing which herbs could be used for what purposes.

The mythology had been chosen for her own entertainment and the herb book had been chosen due to her previous career choice of becoming a Potions Mistress. If she hadn't been sent forward centuries after her own time, she would have been staying at Hogwarts as Madam Pomphrey's and Professor Snape's apprentice and Professor McGonagall's assistant. As far as she could tell, there were little to no people around with magic in their blood so that option was gone. She would still study as hard as she could though so that she could help someone if there was an emergency.

Humming quietly along to the song playing through her ear buds, Hermione rounded the corner and gasped as something slammed into her. The books tumbled from her arms, scattering on the floor, as she fell back onto her behind, momentarily stunned from the impact.

''Oh jeez, I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going! Are you alright?''

Blinking in surprise at the genuinely concerned voice, Hermione looked up to see clear, summer blue irises looking down at her. It was a man. He was possibly a bit older than her but only by a few years at the most. He had soft-looking blonde hair that curled slightly. He was professionally dressed, wearing a pair of beige slacks, a light blue button up dress shirt tucked into his pants with a brown leather belt, a light brown tie neatly tied, a light brown coat, and a pair of dark shoes. He also wore a pair of thin framed glasses, probably for reading. In one hand he held a worn dark brown leather brief case while the other held a book.

''U-Uh, yeah, I'm fine,'' Hermione stuttered slightly at the beginning, stunned by the appearance of the man.

Mentally, she scolded herself for momentarily losing herself in the books around her and becoming distracted enough to run into someone.

''Here, let me help you,'' he tucked his book under his arm before reaching out with his now free hand, pulling her to her feet easily as Hermione accepted it, blinking in surprise at the gesture.

''Professor Payne, Rick Payne,'' he introduced, offering his hand for a handshake.

''Hermione Granger, at your service,'' she smiled, shaking his hand firmly before releasing it.

Her eyes drifted and widened as she noticed all of her books that she had been holding, scattered on the floor, having been forgotten in her daze. Quickly, she bent down and started to pick up her books, inspecting them for any damage as she did so. Professor Payne bent down beside her, helping her gather them. When all the books had been picked up, Hermione stood, the Professor following.

''Here, I think these are yours,'' he smiled, handing her the few books he held. ''Again, I'm sorry for that. I didn't mean to knock you down.''

''Thank you,'' Hermione thanked him with a smile as she adjusted the neat stack of books in her arms. ''It's fine. It wasn't your fault after all. I wasn't really watching where I was going.''

''The Legends of Camelot? ,'' he raised an eyebrow as he read one of the titles scrawled on the side of one of the books in her arms. ''You're interested in mythology?''

''I've always been interested in it,'' Hermione said defensively, hearing the note of surprise in his voice. ''You're a Professor so what do you specialize in?''

''The Occult and all manner of anything weird or supernatural really,'' Professor Payne answered with a laugh as he smiled, amused.

''Really? That sounds interesting,'' Hermione's eyes brightened as she smiled.

''There was no hint of disbelief or sarcasm in your voice,'' he blurted out bluntly, his eyebrows furrowing. Seeing her confused look, he elaborated further. ''Normally, when someone asks about my job and I tell them about it being anything supernatural, they say it's interesting, but they really think it's stupid. There was no hint of sarcasm or disbelief in your voice when you said that.''

''That's because I truly do find it interesting,'' Hermione laughed, smiling up at the Professor as she started to leave the library, Professor Payne following along at her side absently.

''I've never seen you before. Are you new to Grandview? ,'' he asked curiously.

''Yes,'' Hermione nodded, continuing on through the hallway with him following. ''Actually, I just moved here two days ago.''

''Are you a student here?''

''No, no,'' she laughed, shaking her head at his relieved look. ''Before I moved here, I was looking over the website for Grandview and noticed that they had a university that claimed to have an extensive library. I had some spare time today so I came here to check it out myself.''

''Darn,'' Professor Payne faked a disappointed look at Hermione, who smiled amusedly. ''I thought I would have an _interested_ student for once in my lectures. But seriously, what do you do now? Since you're not a Professor or a student.''

''I actually own a small bookshop that I bought when I moved here,'' Hermione smiled shyly, shifting one arm to brush a bang out of her eyes. ''It's brand new so I haven't even named it yet. Any suggestions?''

''Hmm…,'' the Professor gained a thoughtful look, thinking it over. ''Maybe you could name it something in another language? Latin maybe? Or you could make a reference to Camelot or some other myth?''

''Makes sense,'' she nodded thoughtfully. ''Thanks, Professor Payne.''

''You can just call me Rick or just Payne, you know,'' he pointed out, smiling as he glanced over at her. ''There's no need for all the formal stuff.''

''Alright, Rick,'' Hermione nodded, testing the name on her tongue as she smiled up at him. ''You can call me Hermione then.''

Both blinked in surprise as they noticed that they had left the building and stood outside in the parking lot, beside Hermione's car. With a sigh, Hermione moved towards the back of her car. She blinked in surprise as Rick lifted the trunk for her, seeing that she had her arms full. Giving him a quick thankful smile, she set the books down neatly before stepping back, watching as Rick closed the trunk.

''I have to go now,'' Hermione cast a glance at her wristwatch, sighing sadly as she looked back at the professor. ''I really am sorry to go. Maybe we can meet for coffee or something another day?''

Her question was hesitant as she bit her lip shyly, fidgeting with her purse as she felt Rick look at her, surprised at the offer.

''I'm sorry. That was a bit forward for me,'' she apologized, giving him an apologetic smile. ''It's just that I don't really have any friends here and I don't really know anyone….''

''You want to be friends? With me? ,'' Professor Payne raised his eyebrows in disbelief, pointing a finger at his own chest.

''Yeah,'' she nodded, her gaze turning downward, her eyes glued to her shuffling heeled feet. ''I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to. It's okay if you don't. I mean, I know it seems _really_ weird to have coffee or whatever with the weird girl you just met in the library….''

She had started to babble out of nervousness, unaware of Professor Payne's amused look as he watched her fidget. The woman was strange but he liked it. She was the only woman so far that had shown in interest in his job. He didn't blame her for offering to meet again and have coffee since he wanted to offer the same thing. He had been about to when she blurted it out before him, cutting him off and surprising him.

''That would be fun,'' he grinned, honestly curious about the strange woman. ''Come by my office any time. Sadly, I've got a lecture so I'll see you later. Bye Hermione.''

''Alright. Bye Rick,'' Hermione smiled, relieved as he waved in farewell, starting his trek back to the library. The brown haired woman remained there for a moment, smiling to herself, before shaking her head to clear her thoughts, slipping into the driver seat of her car and starting to drive off.


	3. Chapter 3

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 ** _Chapter 3: Enchanted_**

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The next morning, Hermione was up far before the sun even rose. Her night had been fitful, filled with the haunting cries of those who had been lost and the bright, blinding flashes of light from various curses being thrown. Around three a.m., she had started awake. Unable to go back to sleep and shaken badly from the dreams, memories, Hermione grabbed the books she had gotten from Rockland University, curled up in a comfortable armchair, and proceeded to read.

Her trembling had gradually ebbed away along with the terror that had seeped into her bones after three hours of reading. Hermione found herself smiling as she read about Merlin and Arthur's exploits. Some of them were positively amusing and reminded her of what trouble she, Ron, and Harry had gotten into as children. However, after ten chapters, Hermione's mind was drifting away from the legends of Camelot. Familiar summer blue eyes kept appearing in her mind, haunting her.

At six a.m., Hermione gave up reading and started for the shower, eager to clean all of the sweat caused by fright from her body. As she stripped off her nightclothes, she kept her eyes firmly trained on the floor underneath her feet, full out avoiding the mirror in front of her face. Finally, after all the clothes lay on the floor at her feet, she raised her eyes slowly. Hermione flinched back at the sight that met her eyes in the reflected surface.

The War had taken its toll on everyone, including Hermione herself. Her previously unscarred and unblemished body was gone. Scars littered everywhere, stretching across her skin in various positions, sizes, and colors. Most of them had been acquired by the extensive torture of maniacal Bellatrix and the delighted Greyback. Two in particular bothered her.

The first was given to her by Greyback, who had sank his claws into her skin, carving out painful shapes, which altogether connected to show a beautiful nightingale, its wings spread and its head raised high in pride, symbol notes spread through its wings and body. It stretched across her back between her shoulders, colored a dark black from his magic. The meaning of the chosen bird was not lost on Hermione. A nightingale's song referred to love and longing, a possible warning sign of impending death. Greyback had carved that symbol into her back, making the marking permanent with his magic, as a cruel reminder of who and what she was, what she could never have.

The second scar was given to her by Bellatrix, who had carved it into her arm over and over, different words, all degrading and insulting. The main words, the ones that she carved so slowly and so painstakingly, taking her time, were the words; Mudblood, Traitor, and Slut. There were a dozen different other words carved over into those but they were the main three, the ones that she insisted represented Hermione most. The scar stretched across right arm, taking up all the space from her wrist to her elbow.

Since gaining the scars, Hermione had grown increasingly self-conscious. She avoided looking into mirrors or any type of reflected surface without placing the concealment spell on herself beforehand to hide the scars. It was one of the reasons Hermione had not even attempted to move into a relationship with anyone once she had slipped into the future. There was no man, Muggle or not, that would accept the scars that she carried along with the burdens. Additionally, Hermione hadn't found anyone that caught her interest.

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Hermione ripped her eyes away from the mirror and slipped into the shower, focusing on getting clean.

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After her shower, Hermione quickly but thoroughly placed a concealment spell over her body, hiding the scars and leaving normal, unblemished skin. She needed some cheering up so she dressed up a bit. On a whim, she decided to don an outfit she had bought one day for Luna. The Ravenclaw had liked it but she returned it to Hermione, insisting that it suited her better.

The outfit consisted of a pair of white jeans, hugging her legs, tied with a slim black leather belt, a sleeveless dark blue blouse with wide straps that had dark lace crawling across the shoulders and small white blue-tinted flowers with thin green vines all across the shirt, as well as a band of faded white lace across her chest, wrapping all the way around, a long sleeved blazer in a calming light blue color, and a pair of classic black heels. For jewelry, she wore simple silver flower earrings and the silver locket necklace she had worn the day before.

Her hair had decided to be stubborn, resisting her attempts. Hermione furiously began casting styling spells, trying almost every one she remembered. Twenty minutes later, she resigned in defeat and managed to pull her unruly hair up into a ponytail, slipping on her glasses. After that, she grabbed her small black shoulder purse, slinging it over her shoulder so it rested against her left hip, and left her shop.

Briefly, she stopped to buy a cup of coffee and a cup of warm, soothing tea. Just because she was in America, it didn't mean that her England habits had left her completely. Absently, Hermione drove around before finding herself at Rockland University. She chewed her lip for a moment, eyeing the cup of coffee beside her, untouched, before she slipped out of her car, grabbing the drinks, and entered the university.

''Excuse me, Miss, do you know where Professor Payne's office is located? ,'' Hermione cleared her throat politely, questioning a passing woman, who looked to be a student with the bag on her back and a few thick books in her arms.

''Yes, his office is down that hallway, the fourth door on the left,'' the student answered, giving Hermione a surprised look at the unexpected question, which made Hermione wonder why.

''Thank you,'' Hermione sent her a smile before striding forward into the mentioned hallway. She counted the doors as she walked, stopping at the fourth door. Biting her lip, she hesitated before poking her head around the corner, peering into the office.

It was neat and orderly with a bookshelf against the farthest wall and a desk at the other, in front of the door. Behind the desk, in a comfortable looking dark brown office chair, sat Professor Rick Payne. He hadn't noticed her yet because his focus was elsewhere. His clear blue eyes, enhanced by a pair of simple reading glasses, were centered on a stack of documents. It was paperwork, most likely from his students.

Hermione lingered in the doorway for a few long moments, unsure of whether she should bother him or not. If he was too busy with his papers, she decided, she would just drop off the coffee and then make some excuse to leave. She still had a house to check over if her workers were done with it by now.

''Knock knock,'' Hermione cleared her throat, knocking gently on the wooden doorframe. Professor Payne looked up, blinking in surprise as he noticed her. However, a welcoming smile quickly grew on his face as he lowered his paper, looking to her.

''What a surprise! What good deed did I ever do to have such a beautiful visitor to visit me this morning? ,'' he asked playfully, smiling a bit wider as she laughed softly.

''Um… I brought some coffee for you,'' Hermione spoke, holding up the cup of coffee she had bought.

''Ah, thank you so much, beautiful. You are an angel,'' Professor Payne brightened, reaching out a hand as she stepped further into the room, handing him the coffee. He took a slow sip of the coffee, his eyes brightening as he tasted it, glancing at Hermione, who stood a bit away from the door, her hands folded behind her back. ''This is my favorite coffee! How did you know?''

''Just a lucky guess,'' Hermione shrugged, a shy smile appearing on her face. ''The Village Java had two favorites and I just guessed between the two.''

''What's with the whipped cream? ,'' he asked, raising an eyebrow at the fluffy white cream around the top of the cup.

''I thought you would need the energy,'' she answered with another shrug.

''Indeed, very true,'' Professor Payne nodded, as if she had said something very wise. Then he noticed she was still standing close to the door, fidgeting nervously. ''Come on in! I've just got some papers to grade.''

''Are you sure? ,'' she asked, tilting her head as she bit her bottom lip, chewing on it anxiously. ''I don't want to bother you, Professor Payne.''

''Oh you won't. Trust me,'' he laughed, shaking his head. ''I'm just grading essays from my students. Some of them aren't exactly interested so they don't try very hard. Come on, sit down and keep me some company. And as for the Professor thing, why are you calling me that still? Didn't I ask you to call me Rick or Payne at the very least?''

As he rambled, Hermione smiled and stepped further into the room, moving to a nice looking armchair seated in front of his desk. She relaxed back in it, leaning back and crossing her legs, one over the other neatly. When she was comfortable, Hermione took the chance to study the Professor. He was rambling still about her using his actual name. He insisted she call him by his first name and honestly, it was a bit cute. Her lips twitched at the thought as she smiled at him, listening to him talk absently.

''What are you smiling at? ,'' Professor Payne questioned, curious about what put that soft smile on her face.

''Uh, nothing. It was nothing,'' she blinked, shaking her head as she looked at the thick stack of papers on his desk. ''What are those essays supposed to be about?''

''We went through a brief period of mythology of all kinds, like Egyptian, Greek, Roman, that sort of thing. Well, when I say brief, it was more like a few _months_ so not really brief. Anyways, it seems it's not exactly interesting to my students so they're not putting much effort into their work.''

''What have you covered so far? ,'' Hermione asked, curious.

''We already went through the big three, Zeus, Poseidon-,'' Professor Payne answered, ticking them off on his fingers.

''And Hades,'' Hermione finished his sentence, causing him to blink in surprise. ''Have you covered the goddesses yet?''

''Not too much really,'' he mused, tapping his lip with his pen thoughtfully. ''We went through a bit about Hera I think, as well as Aphrodite but I think that was it. That was all we covered.''

''Ooh, so you haven't covered Artemis yet,'' Hermione leaned forward eagerly, her eyes brightening in interest.

''No, we haven't even mentioned her yet,'' Professor Payne smiled, enjoying the bright look in her eyes, making them shine a pretty hazel color.

''Do you mind if I help you with them then? ,'' she bit her lip nervously, gesturing to the stack of papers. ''I mean, it's okay if you don't want any help. You probably have all of it covered-''

''Hermione,'' Professor Payne spoke, watching as she instantly quieted at his use of her first name. She had been starting to ramble on because of her nerves. If he was honest, it was a bit cute that she was nervous about asking to help him. ''It is okay, you know. You can help me with these. I could definitely use the help.''

''Alright,'' she nodded slowly, reaching forward to separate the stack of papers into two sets, taking one for herself and leaving the other for Professor Payne to finish.

''Here's a pen for you to use,'' he tossed her a dark red ink pen and she caught it easily in one hand, pausing to eye the familiar color for a moment. It was almost the same shade of red as her Gryffindor scarf.

''Thanks,'' she shook it off, sending a smile to Professor Payne before curling up in her chair comfortably, beginning to scan and grade the essays in her lap.

A few moments later, she glanced up at the same time as Professor Payne, causing them to lock eyes, both smiling. The rest of the morning passed that way with the two in Professor Payne's office, grading papers and locking eyes, only to laugh or smile. They were oblivious to anything else around them.


	4. Chapter 4

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 ** _Chapter 4: A Token from Home_**

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A week had passed with little to no consequence for Hermione. Her house had been declared ready on her fourth day in Grandview. The workers she had hired to prepare it had called her early that morning, informing her that it was finished. She was ecstatic but she had decided to wait to see it until the afternoon, after her morning appointment with Rick. Yes, she had begun to call him by his first name, much to his amusement as he already called her by hers. Hermione was honestly baffled by her new relationship with the oddly cute Professor.

Somehow, in the week she had known him, the man had snuck past her barriers and formed a place for himself in her heart. He didn't know about her having magic in her blood or her time in Hogwarts but strangely enough, he knew more about her than even Ron and Harry did. He knew of her preference of tea over coffee in the mornings, of her interest in mythology that amused him beyond belief, of her lack of a real relationship, a true one; not what she and Ron had tampered with in her Hogwarts year and not what she had with Krum. He also knew of her nightmares, of the nights she woke up at three in the morning and couldn't get to sleep again.

He didn't know what caused her nightmares but he trusted her enough not to push her for it. The first time he noticed was when she accidentally fell asleep in his office during one of their morning meetings, curled up in the comfortable armchair she had claimed for herself. She had woken up about ten minutes later, terrified out of her mind. Rick had only asked if she was okay. When she only shook or nodded her head, he just stood and moved over to her. The next thing he did still surprised her immensely. He had come around her chair and slipped his arm around her shoulders, as if bracing her through the storm that was her emotions.

That one act had reassured her more than anything ever could. Since then, whenever she had a nightmare in his office, he would just hug her and she would feel better minutes later, her fear fading away. He knew a lot about her but she also knew a lot about him.

Hermione knew he preferred his coffee with whipped cream so that he could be energetic, thought his ramblings were honestly adorable to listen to, and she knew of his late wife's passing, how devastated he was about it. He wanted to move on but didn't know how. Hermione didn't want to admit it but she also knew how absolutely perfect she felt when she was in his arms. They seemed to act as a protective cage around her much smaller form, as if he were trying to protect her from the rest of the world. It was crazy and insane. Hermione had known this man barely a week and yet, she was already starting to form a crush on him.

That morning, she had gotten a call from the jewelry store, informing her that there was a family piece left in the store. Hermione knew she could get the piece and return to Rick's office in no time so she didn't bother to call. Apparently, the jewelry store had found an old jewelry box that had belonged to her mother. Hermione didn't question it, promising the owner that she would be there.

''Can I help you, Miss?'' A light, polite voice spoke, drawing her out of her thoughts as she stepped inside the store.

Hermione blinked and looked to see a tall man standing behind one of the counters. He seemed like the typical store clerk, dressed in a nice suit with his light blonde hair slicked back neatly. For a moment, Hermione was distinctly reminded of Draco Malfoy when he had been working with the Death Eaters in the beginning. His eyes were too cold, holding a certain smugness to them. It unsettled Hermione, though she brushed it aside as she met his eyes.

''Hi, I'm Hermione Granger. Someone from this store called me to tell me about a jewelry box that had been found, one that belonged to my family,'' she explained, giving him a polite smile.

''Ah, Miss Granger,'' he nodded in realization.

Something in his eyes shifted as he heard who she was and Hermione inwardly narrowed her eyes. Outwardly, she showed no sign of his newfound familiarity of her as he reached under the counter and pulled out an object that she hadn't seen since her childhood. Hermione lost almost all interest in the suspicious man as her eyes widened, her breath hitching.

There, laying on the counter in front of her, was an antique musical jewelry box her Mother used to keep in her bedroom, having gotten it as a gift from her own Mother. It was old and antique. The box was wooden and shaped in a wavy rectangle. The sides and bottom were painted a dark, beautiful blue while the top was of a lighter wood, depicting a miniature copy of Dutch artist Van Gogh's painting ''Starry Night''. As a child, Hermione had loved that jewelry box, playing with it every night under her Mother's watchful eye before bed.

Reaching out a slightly shaking hand, Hermione touched the top of the jewelry box. The wood felt as smooth as ever under her fingertips. She couldn't believe it was here. After Obliviating her parents', erasing their memories of her, she honestly thought it had been passed on to the next generation or destroyed somewhere along the way.

''Would you like to hold it or do you want it to be wrapped up in a bag? ,'' the man questioned, gaining her attention once more.

''Wrapped please,'' she answered, flashing him a polite, half-hearted smile as she withdrew, watching absently as the man nodded, picking up her jewelry box and beginning to pack it carefully.

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It all happened so fast.

The door flew open as a man barged inside, wearing a black mask and carrying a gun. Cries rang throughout the store as he ordered everyone to get down on the floor. Everyone fell down to the floor, covering their heads and facing the floor, not talking or making a sound. Hermione dropped and fell onto her knees easily, lifting her arms and crossing them behind her head as a makeshift shield.

Ignoring everyone in the room, Hermione closed her eyes as she faced the floor, taking in a deep breath and exhaling it as her mind regained control of her natural impulses, sending a wave of calm through her. She needed to analyze the situation thoroughly. The man was tall, about 6'1 maybe. From the way his black clothing clung to him, he was a bit on the chubby side with a bit of muscle. His clothing wasn't suited for a robbery really, just a black leather jacket with a cotton hood, black wool fingerless gloves, black hiking boots, and a black fabric mask, not a plastic or metal one.

From his clothes, he wasn't a professional by any means. That meant he probably hadn't done this before, which led her to believe he was truly desperate for any type of money, no matter where it came from. Hermione took a moment to listen, intently listening to his voice as he kept threatening them and memorizing it. If she heard it again, she knew she could identify the man.

Finished with analyzing the situation, Hermione opened her eyes and lifted them, scanning the room for any possible exits or weapons to use. Her eyes shifted to two women a little away from her, facing each other on the floor. Both were frightened out of their wits, she knew.

''Are you okay?! ,'' the more slender, dark brown haired woman asked her friend, reaching out to grasp her hands.

''Yeah, I'm okay. You?''

''Yeah,'' she nodded, biting her lip.

Their eyes drifted to Hermione and she smiled a reassuring smile, comforting them. It caused them to relax slightly as both sent her smiles back, slightly forced but still smiles. Quickly, the two separated and covered their heads again as the burglar came back from the back room, kneeling in front of them and pointing his rifle at the smaller of the two.

''Didn't I say no talking? ,'' he asked before snapping as her frightened, doe brown eyes flickered up to him. ''I said not to look at me!''

''She wasn't talking,'' Hermione spoke, her voice flat as she talked, drawing all three's attention to her a little bit away. Her Gryffindor courage rose before she could stop it. It had gotten her in trouble many, many times in school. Though, to be fair, neither Harry nor Ron was here to back her up now. ''It was me. I was asking if everyone was okay.''

''You got somethin' to say, woman? ,'' the man snapped, shifting positions until his gun rested inches away from the very center of Hermione's forehead.

One twitch of his finger and the bullet would shoot through her, piercing through her skin and passing straight through her brain. However, Hermione had faced worse situations than a gun. Death Eaters were far more brutal. Lifting her eyes, Hermione met his gaze evenly.

''Hmm, let me see,'' she wondered, tilting her head to the side slightly as she quirked an eyebrow at him, faking a thoughtful look as his anger grew. ''Nah, I changed my mind. I don't have anything to say to you. Nothing nice anyway.''

He stared at her for a few long moments, the gun quivering slightly in his grasp from his anger. Hermione didn't flinch back, didn't move an inch as she stared at him calmly, unminding of the dangerous weapon pointed inches away from her head. Something in his eyes shifted, as if something about her defiance disturbed him, as he pulled his gun back, standing and moving towards the door. Hermione watched, her lips twisting into a smirk as he escaped after wishing good day for everyone.

It wasn't until later that Hermione noticed her jewelry box had also been taken, causing her to growl in frustration, startling many of the people around her in the process.


	5. Chapter 5

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 ** _Chapter 5: An Enemy_**

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''Oh my God, I heard about the robbery at the jewelry store! Are you alright?! You're not hurt right?!''

Hermione blinked twice, surprised, as she found herself instantly being fretted over as soon as she stepped foot into Professor Payne's office, where she spent her mornings inside. Gentle, strong hands rested on her shoulders, gripping them softly, as if afraid to hit any bruises. She looked up to see him standing in front of her, looking down at her with a concerned frown. His clear blue eyes were slightly darker with worry as he looked her over, scanning for any visible injuries.

''I knew you couldn't be hurt,'' he babbled on as Hermione listened, looking up at him quietly. ''After all, what horrible crime did my best friend commit to be punished with an injury from a jewelry store robbery? But, I figured it couldn't hurt to check on you. I couldn't sleep after I heard so, all night, I was up, going over my lesson plans for my lectures. I don't see any bandages so that's a relief. You're not hurt are you?''

''I'm fine, I promise. No injuries at all,'' Hermione laughed, smiling up at him. ''You were worried about me?''

''Nope,'' he released her shoulders and stepped back, realizing what he was doing and quickly back-tracking. ''You are mistaken. I wasn't worried at all.''

''You were actually worried about me,'' Hermione pointed out, ignoring his denial as she looked up at him with wide eyes.

There was a tone of disbelief and incredulity, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing or seeing. After being her experience with Bellatrix and Greyback, most people in the Wizarding World had started walking around her on eggshells. Hermione herself knew that she was broken. There were parts of her, parts of who she had been before, that were shattered and cracked. It seemed impossible that anyone could ever fix them, never be able to connect and put all the pieces together again. That was why Ron broke it off with her, knowing she would never be the same again. He explained it gently and Hermione understood. Even she was uncertain as to what person she would be now. Torture experiences would change anyone.

Hermione had soldiered through the War, leading Harry and Ron through countless dangers. Since the spells collision and her presence in the future, she had never thought of having friends, never even _dreamed_ of people that would worry about her. She had only known this man for a week and yet, he was worried about her. Something warm settled in her heart at that realization, causing her lips to twist into a smile, one that was wider and more real than any of the half-hearted smiles or smirks she had given before.

''What're you smiling like that for? What's made you so happy? ,'' Professor Payne asked, confused but curious.

''I'm just glad to have at least one friend in Grandview,'' Hermione answered, her eyes brightening as she smiled up at him. ''That's all really.''

''You thought we weren't friends? ,'' he asked, gesturing between them with a surprised look.

''At first, yes….,'' she trailed off, biting her lip as her smile faded, replaced by guilt.

''I'm hurt, darling,'' Professor Payne put on a wounded face, clutching at his heart. Then he stopped and lowered his hand, realizing what she meant from the look on her face.

From the short time he'd known her, he knew she was self-conscious and shy with many complicated problems that he didn't know about. In her eyes, he could see an immense amount of guilt, as if it could overwhelm her at any second. She seemed to be running from something. Of all the places to run to, she had chosen Grandview to hide in. Whatever trouble she was in, Payne knew that she was not at fault. Hermione Granger was just a young woman with many complex issues and a past that she was running from.

This just solidified his belief of her innocence. The look she had given him when she heard of his worry for her; it was as if she hadn't had anyone to worry about her in a long, long time. As far as he knew, she didn't have any friends in Grandview besides him. He did count her as one of his friends, as rare as they were.

''Of course we are, Hermione,'' Professor Payne spoke, his voice quiet as she lifted her head, meeting his eyes guiltily. He gave her a lopsided smile. ''You're one of the few people I can stand being around for longer than ten minutes.''

Hermione smiled in amusement, her eyes lightening as she nodded, agreeing.

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''Wake up!''

Hermione's eyes fluttered open as she glanced at the owner of the harsh, mocking voice. It was the blonde haired man she had been suspicious of in the jewelry store. Wait, what was he doing in her house? Her brain quickly awoke properly as her thoughts flew. Her body was much slower to react as her eyes scanned the room around her, searching for her wand, the only weapon she always carried.

It wasn't in her hand or on her at all. Blinking groggily, Hermione lifted her eyes to see the object she was searching for. The man was crouched a few feet in front of her, holding her wand. He was dangling it in front of her, a clear taunt.

''Looking for this? ,'' he raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, glancing at the smooth wooden wand in his hand. ''You sleep with your wand under your pillow. I see your war habits never died out.''

Hermione moved to speak but found her mouth wouldn't even move. Her facial reactions were slow, all but her eyes, which she could move as quick as she wanted. Trying as hard as she could to speak, to scream, to do anything, the very corner of her mouth only twitched. Hermione knew exactly what it all meant, her slow waking, her slowed body reactions, it all pointed to a drug. He had somehow drugged her, decreasing her chances of escaping.

''Figured it out now have you? ,'' he smirked, a cold, dangerous edge to it that sent shivers down Hermione's spine, though she hid it well. ''It's good to see you awake and conscious. I just came to check on you. Now, I need to get back to what I was doing before. Sweet dreams, Miss Granger.''

She watched quietly as he stood, straightening his neat suit jacket and tucking her wand into his jacket pocket. He strode up the wooden stairs, sending her one last smirk before slipping out, shutting the double doors behind him. Hermione closed her eyes again with a slow, heavy sigh as she slipped into the realm of her mind. The drug would eventually cease to affect her but it still took time.

There was no telling how much time she had until he decided what to do with her so she needed to work quickly. Taking a deep breath, Hermione dived deeper into her mind, beginning to search for the drug in her body to pull it out. The internal clock was ticking, keeping her on time. She knew instinctively that she didn't have much.


End file.
